Overload

We were out to breakfast at the beach this week and a mom was taking her son out of the restaurant. On the way, she was scolding him for his behavior, saying the other people eating didn't want hear his misbehavior.  It started a conversation with Joe and I.

It's tough being a parent. Sometimes, you really don't know what the right thing to do is so you try you best and hope the kids don't end up in therapy because of you.  But vacations are especially tough.  There's expectations, exhaustion, staying up later, etc.  I think in this boys's case, it was just a total emotional breakdown. It was Sunday morning so they probably got there the day before, ran to the beach when they got here, was outside in 98 degrees heat, went out to dinner, and stayed up later than bedtime were all factors in his meltdown. Then you throw the parent's expectations into the mix too.

We always tried, when the kids were little, to make sure we kept some sense of schedule with them on vacation. We'd let them sleep in if we were up late. Whenever we went to Disney, we did a day in the park and a day off, just to swim in the pool and be kids.  That always seemed to work well. I know some people who go into the parks in the morning, swim and relax in the afternoon and go back at night. That would work well too.

I remember one vacation in Cape May, it was really hot the entire week and we all ended up taking naps in the late afternoon after coming off of the beach and before going to dinner.  It was good for the boys and us too. We all remember that as a great vacation and everyone remembers the naps too.

So when you're away with little ones, remember that they are half your size, so if you are starting to feel cranky and overloaded, chances are they are too.

   Until next time, when I continue the rantings and ravings of a mom of an

American Dream Family.....